Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

A relay and a data processing method are provided. The relay includes: a
detection unit for classifying and detecting event oriented monitoring
data and non-event oriented monitoring data from monitoring data; a
storage unit for storing the detected monitoring data; a communication
unit for receiving a request signal of the monitoring data from a
monitoring device and transmitting corresponding monitoring data in
response to a transmission request signal of the monitoring data; and a
control unit for extracting event oriented monitoring data from the
monitoring data and performing a control to transmit the monitoring data
requested from the monitoring device.

Claims:

1. A relay comprising: a detection unit for classifying and detecting
event oriented monitoring data and non-event oriented monitoring data
from monitoring data; a storage unit for storing the detected monitoring
data; a communication unit for receiving a request signal of the
monitoring data from a monitoring device and transmitting corresponding
monitoring data in response to a transmission request signal of the
monitoring data; and a control unit for extracting event oriented
monitoring data from the monitoring data and performing a control to
transmit the monitoring data requested from the monitoring device.

3. The relay according to claim 1, wherein the control unit checks a type
of the monitoring data requested from the monitoring device, and performs
a control to extract data corresponding to the type of the checked
monitoring data from the storage unit in order to transmit the extracted
data.

4. The relay according to claim 1, wherein the control unit stores the
detected setting value data and the detected monitoring data in a
corresponding point in a point list defined by Distributed Network
Protocol (DNP).

5. The relay according to claim 1, wherein, when the detection unit
detects event oriented monitoring data, the event oriented monitoring
data are stored in a point corresponding to the detected event oriented
monitoring data.

6. The relay according to claim 1, wherein the transmission request
signal of the monitoring data comprises at least one of event oriented
monitoring data or monitoring data of a specific index, and the control
unit checks the transmission request signal, and transmits corresponding
monitoring data to the monitoring device.

7. A monitoring data processing method of a relay, the method comprising:
detecting user setting value data; storing the detected setting value
data; checking a communication state with respect to a monitoring device
that requests the monitoring data; detecting event oriented monitoring
data from the monitoring data; storing the detected monitoring data;
receiving a transmission request signal of monitoring data from the
monitoring device; and transmitting the monitoring data in response to
the transmission request signal of the monitoring data.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising storing the
detected setting value data and the detected monitoring data in a
corresponding point in a point list defined by DSP.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the detecting of the
monitoring data comprises detecting at least one of event oriented
monitoring data and non-event monitoring data.

10. The method according to claim 9, when the event oriented monitoring
data are detected, further comprising storing the event oriented
monitoring data in a point corresponding to the detected event oriented
monitoring data.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting
monitoring data in response to the transmission request signal, wherein
the transmission request signal of the monitoring data comprises at least
one of event oriented monitoring data and monitoring data of a specific
index.

12. The method according to claim 7, when a monitoring data transmission
request is transmitted from the monitoring device, further comprising:
checking a type of the requested monitoring data; and transmitting
corresponding monitoring data to the monitoring device according to the
checked type.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a) and 35 U.S.C. §365, this
application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of
priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0091877, filed on Sep.
9, 2011, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference
herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a method of processing data of a
relay, and a relay for the same, and more particularly, to a method of
processing data of a relay, which collects and stores monitoring data in
an efficient way when there is a request on monitoring data from a
monitoring device in a remote place, and transmits the monitoring data to
the monitoring device in response to a request, and a relay for the same.

[0003] A protective relay is a device having a command function for
cutting a corresponding portion from an electrical circuit when an
abnormal state such as a short circuit or eddy current occurs in the
electrical circuit. There are various kinds of protective relays. For
example, protective relays include an under-voltage relay for operating
when a circuit voltage drops, a temperature relay for detecting a
critical temperature, a differential relay for operating when a ratio of
primary and secondary currents in a transformer is abnormal, and a ground
relay for notifying a ground incident of a power transmission line.

SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments provide a data processing method for collecting data on
the basis of an item value of a point where an event occurs in order to
collect information and achieve delivery efficiency according to an
increase of a point list transmitted from a relay.

[0005] Additionally, example embodiments of the present invention provide
a data processing method in order to transmit data on the basis of a
point where an event occurs when there is a data request from a
monitoring device.

[0006] In one example embodiment, a relay includes: a detection unit for
classifying and detecting event oriented monitoring data and non-event
oriented monitoring data from monitoring data; a storage unit for storing
the detected monitoring data; a communication unit for receiving a
request signal of the monitoring data from a monitoring device and
transmitting corresponding monitoring data in response to a transmission
request signal of the monitoring data; and a control unit for extracting
event oriented monitoring data from the monitoring data and performing a
control to transmit the monitoring data requested from the monitoring
device.

[0008] The control unit may check a type of the monitoring data requested
from the monitoring device, and may perform a control to extract data
corresponding to the type of the checked monitoring data from the storage
unit in order to transmit the extracted data.

[0009] The control unit may store the detected setting value data and the
detected monitoring data in a corresponding point in a point list defined
by Distributed Network Protocol (DNP).

[0010] When the detection unit detects event oriented monitoring data, the
event oriented monitoring data may be stored in a point corresponding to
the detected event oriented monitoring data.

[0011] The transmission request signal of the monitoring data may include
at least one of event oriented monitoring data or monitoring data of a
specific index, and the control unit may check the transmission request
signal, and may transmit corresponding monitoring data to the monitoring
device.

[0012] In another example embodiment of the present invention, a
monitoring data processing method of a relay includes: detecting user
setting value data; storing the detected setting value data; checking a
communication state with respect to a monitoring device that requests the
monitoring data; detecting event oriented monitoring data from the
monitoring data; storing the detected monitoring data; receiving a
transmission request signal of monitoring data from the monitoring
device; and transmitting the monitoring data in response to the
transmission request signal of the monitoring data.

[0013] The method may further include storing the detected setting value
data and the detected monitoring data in a corresponding point in a point
list defined by DSP.

[0014] The detecting of the monitoring data may include detecting at least
one of event oriented monitoring data and non-event monitoring data.

[0015] When the event oriented monitoring data are detected, the method
may further include storing the event oriented monitoring data in a point
corresponding to the detected event oriented monitoring data.

[0016] The method may further include transmitting monitoring data in
response to the transmission request signal, wherein the transmission
request signal of the monitoring data includes at least one of event
oriented monitoring data and monitoring data of a specific index.

[0017] When a monitoring data transmission request is transmitted from the
monitoring device, the method may further include: checking a type of the
requested monitoring data; and transmitting corresponding monitoring data
to the monitoring device according to the checked type.

[0018] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the
accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be
apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a communication connection system
configuration of a monitoring device and a relay.

[0020]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a relay according to an example
embodiment of the present invention.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a table representing a point list of monitoring data
according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0022]FIG. 4 is a data processing flowchart according to an example
embodiment of the present invention.

[0023]FIG. 5 is a data processing flowchart according to an example
embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The terms and words used in the specification and claims should not
be interpreted as conventional or dictionary meanings, and thus, should
be interpreted as meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical
idea of the present invention, on the basis of the principle that the
inventor may appropriately define the concept of the terms in the best
way in order to describe his/her own invention.

[0025] Accordingly, the example embodiments of the present invention may,
however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed
as being limited to the example embodiments of the present invention set
forth herein; rather, that alternate embodiments included in other
retrogressive inventions or falling within the spirit and scope of the
present disclosure can easily be derived through adding, altering, and
changing, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those
skilled in the art.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a communication connection system
configuration of a monitoring device and a relay.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, the relay 100 may be connected to the
monitoring device 200 through a DNP communication method. The relay 100
may receive a monitoring data request signal from the monitoring device
200. The relay 100 may transmit the monitoring data, which are collected
according to a request of the monitoring device 200, to the corresponding
monitoring device 200.

[0028] The monitoring device 200 operates as a master and the relay 100
operates as an outstation, so that necessary data may be obtained.

[0029]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a relay according to an embodiment of
the present invention.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, the relay 100 may include a power supply unit
110, a detection unit 120, a storage unit 130, a communication unit 140,
a control unit 150, and a display unit 160.

[0031] The power supply unit 110 may supply DC power to various kinds of
components constituting the relay 100. For example, the power supply unit
110 may include a transformer for converting a commercial AC power of 220
V into a DC power of 5 V and a diode rectifier circuit.

[0032] The detection unit 120 may detect/receive monitoring data. When the
monitoring data are contact point state data, the detection unit 20 may
include a contact point input unit (not shown) and a contact point output
unit (not shown). Additionally, when the monitoring data are electricity
amount data, the detection unit 120 may include a detection current input
unit (not shown) and a detection voltage input unit (not shown) in order
to receive each phase current value of three-phase power supply line of
the power supplied to a motor (not shown).

[0033] Additionally, the detection unit 120 may further include a current
transformer for detecting each phase current value. Moreover, when
setting value data are monitoring data, the detection unit 120 may
further include a user interface unit (not shown).

[0034] The storage unit 130 may store monitoring data detected according
to an embodiment of the present invention or may update pre-stored
monitoring data with newly-inputted data. The storage unit 130 may
include HDD, EEPROM, and Flash Memory.

[0035] The storage unit 130 may store monitoring data detected according
to an example embodiment of the present invention or may update
pre-stored monitoring data with newly-inputted data. The communication
unit 140 may include a communication module for receiving a monitoring
data request signal or transmitting the requested monitoring data to the
monitoring device 200.

[0036] The communication unit 140 may include a communication module for
transmitting DNP type data through a TCP/IP method according to an
example embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] The control unit 150 may process various kinds of data in order to
control the power supply of the relay 100 or the input/output signals to
an external device. For example, the control unit 150 may determine the
failure of a motor and a failure factor on the basis of a current value
or input data received from the detection unit 120. The control unit 150
generates a control signal to stop the power supply of a motor when the
motor is failed. Then, the control signal may be outputted to a contact
point output unit (not shown) and a failure factor may be displayed on
the display unit 160.

[0038] Additionally, the control unit 150 compares the data inputted from
the detection unit 120 with a reference value in order to determine
whether the over-current, phase loss, inter-phase inequity, reverse
phase, and grounding occur and control the failure data according thereto
to be stored in the storage unit 130.

[0039] The control unit 150 may detect setting value data from the
monitoring data first and may store them. The control unit 150 may
control the detected setting value data and the detected monitoring data
to be stored in a corresponding point of a point list defined by a DNP
method.

[0040] The display unit 160 displays input terminal information or output
terminal information so that a user may confirm the information. The
display unit 160 may display a failure factor or state of a motor in
addition to the above information. The display unit 160 may include a
light emitting diode, a liquid crystal display, and a lamp.

[0041]FIG. 3 is a table representing a point list of monitoring data
according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 3, the monitoring data may include contact point
state data, setting value data, and electricity amount data, for example.
Additionally, each of contact point state data, setting data, and
electricity amount data may include an item and an index. The monitoring
data of FIG. 3 according to an example embodiment of the present
invention may vary according to the definition and types of the
monitoring data and user setting.

[0043] Additionally, according to an example embodiment of the present
invention, when a change on the monitoring data of a relay occurs, this
may be defined as an event and may be processed as the monitoring data of
a relay.

[0044] An event described in this specification may include a change on
monitoring data having a high priority such as a change on an input
contact point state of a relay, a change on an output contact point
state, and a change on setting value data.

[0045] The contact point data may include data, which are transmitted to
an input contact point and an output contact point of a relay.

[0047] The input contact point may correspond to a terminal number. The
definition of the input contact point and correspondence between terminal
numbers may vary according to a circuit configuration of a motor control
device itself and a connection state of an external device.

[0048] In relation to monitoring data according to an example embodiment
of the present invention, contact point state data may represent
information inputted from an input contact point.

[0049] An output contact point may include at least one output contact
point defined as a start output contact point such as delta start or y
start. The start output contact point may output a control signal
according to each start method. Additionally, an output contact point may
include a contact point defined as a state contact point such as an LOP
state output contact point and an AUTO state output contact point, which
displays state information on a motor according to an operation mode. The
state contact point may output a control signal for controlling the
display unit 160 in order to display a motor state according to each
operation mode.

[0050] When an event for data inputted from an input contact point or an
output contact point occurs, a relay according to an example embodiment
of the present invention may detect and store the data as monitoring
data.

[0051] In more detail, when a signal is transmitted from an input/output
contact point, this is detected as an event, and is classified with an
input contact point state and an output contact point state. Then, as
shown in FIG. 3, an index may be assigned to one point of a point list of
monitoring data and stored.

[0052] Setting value monitoring data may include an operation mode that a
user sets and a value according thereto. For example, when a user sets
`over-current mode` as `use`, a `true` value may be stored in a `0` index
of setting value monitoring data.

[0053] A user may set `over-current factor critical value` and
`over-current factor operation time`, which are determined as
`over-current`. A relay stores setting value data in a point list of
monitoring data, and when a user changes a specific setting value, this
is detected as an event in order to update a corresponding point list.

[0054] Moreover, contact point state monitoring data and setting value
monitoring data may be monitoring data detected as an event. Event
oriented monitoring data may be data that may be non-periodically set or
changed according to user setting in a relay and a device connected
thereto, not data detected during a predetermined period. The above event
oriented monitoring data may not be monitored periodically in the relay
100, and then, may be detected as an event and stored in a point list.

[0055] Electricity amount data may include data about each phase voltage,
current, and driving frequency in the case of a three phase motor.
Electricity amount data may be monitored periodically unlike the event
oriented data such as contact point state and setting value data.
Accordingly, non-event oriented data may be described as data used for
relatively predicting a change of its value. The non-event oriented data
may be defined as monitoring data in addition to the event oriented
monitoring data. A relay may detect and store electricity amount data
observed periodically by setting electricity amount data as monitoring
data.

[0056]FIG. 4 is a data processing flowchart according to an example
embodiment of the present invention. A monitoring data processing
operation shown in FIG. 4 represents an initial operation of a relay, for
example, an operation when a relay is turned on or is reset.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit 150 confirms first setting
value data received from a user whose information is pre-stored in the
storage unit 130 in operation S402. User setting value data are data that
are not frequently changed, and according to its value, it is determined
whether event oriented data such as contact point state monitoring data
are detected.

[0058] The control unit 150 may confirm a communication state with respect
to a monitoring device in operation S404. That is, communication is
connected between the relay and the monitoring device, and after this is
confirmed, data transmission becomes possible therebetween.

[0059] The control unit 150 may control the detection unit 120 to detect
monitoring data. The detection unit 120 may detect event oriented
monitoring data first in operation S406.

[0060] An operation for detecting and storing the event oriented
monitoring data will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0061]FIG. 5 is a monitoring data collecting flowchart according to an
example embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates that the
relay 100 performs an operation for detecting and storing monitoring data
on the basis of an event.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 5, the control unit 150 of the relay 100 confirms
whether the communication unit 140 has a normal communication connection
state with respect to the monitoring device 200.

[0063] If the communication connection state with respect to the
monitoring device 200 is normal, the control unit 150 may determine the
detection time of the monitoring data in operation S504. That is, the
control unit 150 may perform a detection operation at the detection time
of the monitoring data periodically or in real time. According to an
example embodiment of the present invention, the case that detection is
periodically made at a predetermined time will be described as one
example.

[0064] When the detection time of the monitoring data is confirmed on the
basis of the determination result, the control unit 150 may determine
whether an event oriented monitoring data are detected in operation S506.
If the event oriented monitoring data are not detected, according to a
predetermined rule, a non-event oriented monitoring data may be detected
and stored in operation S510.

[0065] On the contrary, when the event oriented monitoring data are
detected, the control unit 150 may store the detected monitoring data in
a corresponding point of a point list defined by a DNP method in
operation S508.

[0066] For example, when contact point state data are detected from the
event oriented monitoring data, a detected value may be stored in a
contact point state point of a point list. Additionally, when setting
value data are detected, a detected value may be stored in a
corresponding point of a point list. That is, by detecting and storing
monitoring data on the basis of an event, a large amount of data may be
efficiently stored and managed. Additionally, by storing monitoring data
on the basis of an event, when a data transmission request made from the
monitoring device 200, a corresponding point may be immediately
transmitted. Thus, data transmission is also effective.

[0067] Accordingly, the monitoring data stored in the above manner may be
read according to whether a signal for requesting the monitoring data is
received from the monitoring device 200.

[0068] The control unit 150 may determine whether the transmission request
signal of the monitoring data is received from the monitoring device 200
through the communication unit 140 in operation S408. The control unit
150 may check the request signal of the monitoring data from the
monitoring device 200 periodically in order to detect it. Or, a
transmission request may be checked in real time. Additionally, even if a
signal for requesting the transmission of monitoring data is not received
from the monitoring device 200, the detection unit 120 continuously
detects and stores the monitoring data.

[0069] When it is detected that a signal for requesting monitoring data is
received from the monitoring device 200, the control unit 150 may check
the type of the requested monitoring data in operation S410. That is, the
monitoring device 200 may request only event oriented monitoring data
including setting value data or contact point state data, or only
non-event oriented monitoring data. Additionally, the monitoring device
200 may request only monitoring data having a specific index value. For
example, as shown in the table of FIG. 3, only the data for an input
value of a contact point 2 corresponding to an index `1` among contact
point state data may be requested. Accordingly, when a signal for
requesting monitoring data is received from the monitoring device 200,
the control unit 150 may extract only specific monitoring data that the
monitoring device 200 requests and then may transmit them.

[0070] The control unit 150 may check the type of the requested monitoring
data from the monitoring device 200, and may extract corresponding
monitoring data in operation S412.

[0071] The control unit 150 may transmit the extracted monitoring data to
the corresponding monitoring device 200 through the communication unit
140 in operation S414.

[0072] When a communication termination event occurs, the control unit 150
may terminate a communication connection state with respect to the
connected monitoring device 200 in operation S416. That is, the control
unit 150 determines whether a transmission operation of the monitoring
data is terminated, and then, continuously detects and stores the
monitoring data except the case that monitoring data cannot be
transmitted due to the failure of the relay 100 itself.

[0073] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number
of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that
numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those
skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the
principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and
modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of
the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure,
the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and
modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative
uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.